Clairvoyants

I’ve been doing this job for a relatively short time but listening to music all my life. I’d never say I’ve heard it all, only a fool would, and as bands continue to explore and innovate, there's no reason ever to become jaded. However, there does come a point when almost everything produced has a reference point or bears a comparison with something that’s come before. That’s natural in this cannibalistic business. Asking for complete originality is well nigh impossible (and the results could well be unlistenable anyway) and unfair, but at the very least we should expect to hear some palpable effort from the band.

That sadly brings us to Clairvoyants new album, The Shape of Thing to Come, a badly misjudged title if ever there was one. Though they have gone under the power metal banner don’t expect any Dragonforce type histrionics here. Every metal cliché is present and name any high profile metal band over the last 20 years, they are here in spirit. And that’s forgivable, what is much harder to stomach is the complete lack of energy and get go on this record.

From the cheesy opener No Need to Surrender to the long (not epic) closer Horizon Calling, the playing is undeniably first class; they just sound like they are going through the motions and sluggish. If they can’t muster up the will to perform and be excited by their own music, why should anyone expect punters to pay and listen to all 57 excruciating minutes of it. This is an incredibly dull album and that’s something that should never be said about heavy metal The cover's good though..